Wishing We Were Headed to Sonoma Wine Country Weekend 2011

Its been a couple years since our last venture to California wine country and reading about the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend (September 2 - 4, 2011) really gets the juices flowing for another trip. Just think about it, wineries from Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Dry Creek Valley all at 32nd Annual Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch on the 3rd. Then there's several Winemaker lunches, BBQs, and dinners. Ticket prices vary, but if you are a Visa Signature card holder, you can receive steep discounts on all tickets. Plus these card holders can participate in special Visa Signature Tours. Maybe a trip West, maybe....

Thanks WBC11 - Georgia Wines Are on My Mind - Again

Another wine we found interesting during the WBC11 Speed Tasting was the 07 Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi - which resurrected our fascination with Georgian wines. For, the Republic of Georgia is the cradle of wine making, as evident by the 4,000 to even 8,000 year old wine making equipment unearthed by archaeologists in the country. We are talking Stone Age winos. Many etymologists even consider the modern generic word “wine” to be derived from the ancient Georgian word “gvino”. And what is equally fascinating is that contemporary wineries are using the same indigenous grapes as these early winemakers. We are talking Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Mtsvani, Ojaleshi - wine grapes tasted by Jason and the Argonauts, Homer, Alexander the Great, Apollonius of Rhodes, St. Nino - thus when tasting Georgian wines - you're tasting history.

And its no wonder that the Republic of Georgia is the birthplace of wine civilization. It's geography is well suited for grape viticulture. Extreme weather is rare; winters are frost free; summers are sunny; and the Black Sea provides a beneficial micro-climate. The largest grape producing region is Kakheti located in the eastern end of the country. This region produces 70% of the country's wine and, understandably, houses some of the largest wineries: Teliani Valley, Telavis Marani, Tbilvino, Kindzmarauli Marani, Badagoni and Chateau Mukhrani. Other noteworthy wine regions are Racha-Lechkhumi, Kartli, and Imereti. Racha-Lechkhumi is currently home to semi-sweet wines such as Khvanchkara, Usakhelouri and Tvishi. The Kartli region is also termed "The Heart of Georgia" because of its central location and the home of the ancient and modern capitals - Mtskheta and Tbilisi. Both Kartli and Imereti are known for their sparkling wines and the later also producing the red wines Oihanuri, Sapere and Saperavi.

The country is home to over a dozen indigenous wine grapes. Rkatsiteli is the most important white variety and at one time was the third most planted varietal in the world. Mtsvani is the next most important white and is usually blended with Rkatsiteli. Saperavi is the most popular red variety and produces full bodied, somewhat tannic wines suitable for aging.

Like the French, Georgian wines represent the name of the source region, district, or village. And many of these wines are blends, such as Tsinandali, which is a blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. Yet some 100% varietal wines are available -- including the aforementioned 07 Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi. And like most Eastern European wine styles, many of the red wines are produced semi sweet - even Saperavi. (No wine snobs permitted in the South Caucasus.) And fortified wines are very popular.

Rkatsiteli seems to be my favorite of the Georgian grape varieties and at one time was the third most planted varietal in the world. Thanks to Dr. Konstantin Frank, Dennis Horton, and Jack and Charlie Tomasello, it has migrated to the United States and is now available at Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars, Horton Vineyards, and Tomasello Winery. The wines possess a recognizable spicy character that is balanced by citrus flavors and refreshing acidity.

But what about the 07 Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi? I really can't recall - even after 2nd, 3rd, and 4th sips at #606. I did note, however, that the vineyards were once owned by a major Royal Dynasty - The Princes of Mukhrani. History and Georgian wine are intertwined.

For further research visit any of the linked wineries or check out the Georgian Wine House. Georgian wines will remain in my mind for quite some time.

Abouriou - It's a bird, It's a ... - No, it's a Red Wine Grape

One of the more interesting wines poured during the Red Wine Speed Tasting during WBC11 was the Abourious 2009 Red Wine from Old World Winery (Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California). Now, even with a room full of wine bloggers, most of us had never heard of - and obviously tasted - a wine made from the Abouriou grape. According to the esteemed Jancis Robinson The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition, Abouriou is grown primarily in South West France, bordering Bordeaux to the north and the Pyrénées to the south. This region is includes the ACOs Jurançon, Cahors, Bergerac, and Côtes du Marmandais - home to Abouriou, where the grape is used in blends with Bordeaux varieties, Syrah, Fer, and Gamay.

It is obviously also grown in California, with Old World Winery the only producer - at least as listed at WineCompass. Two acres of the grapes are grown organically at the Sheri Martinelli Ranch with these being harvested in October 2009 and bottled in June 2011. That's translates to approximately 18 months of aging. During the Twitter tasting, my colleague immediately designated the Abourious 2009 Red Wine as The Seducer - with its full body, high acidity; but sweet berry flavor profile. Other bloggers had similar comments as show below. But don't get too excited just yet about this wine. For #wbc11 was its unveiling; the release date is set for Spring 2012 with a $55 price point and only 109 cases available. Mark this on our calendar and visit the winery's online store.

• melanie0 @oldworldwinery Tasting Abourious. A very big meaty wine #wbc11
• hesipsshesips Abourious made from Abouriou grape from Old World Winery super different, jammy, hint of sweetness #WBC11 #shesips
• 1WineDude 09 Old World Winery Abourious red. Abouriou is the variety (yes, really). Like your licorice with pepper? Then this is your wine. #wbc11
• icjamie Abourious 2009 Russian River Valley. Old World Winery. Abouriou is the grape. Huge acidity in this red, sweet notes. $55 #wbc11
• winecompass #wbc11 the seducer wine Abourious
• krischislett Abourious made from the Abouriou grape in the Russian River Valley. Only vyd in the U.S. growing it. http://t.co/NEk1y19 #wbc11
• KarinMcKercher The most fantastic new discovery for me, #Abourious. Really digging this. Sort of sweet, but good pepper finish. Must. Get. More. #WBC11
• indievinos Been "hearing" about #Abourious. Cane berry-candy nose, really smooth, but also a little "sour." In a really, really good way. LOVE. #WBC11
• mutineermag Abourious 2009 Red Wine from the Russian River Valley. Its natural fermentation has excited my tablemate. #WBC11
• norcalwine 09 @oldworldwinery Abourious RRV red wine from Abouriou variety planted 1950 by Martinellis below Jack Ass Hill: Concordish #WBC11 #wine
• KatieDrinksWine @OldWorldWinery So excited to finally try your wine! A new varietal for me, too - Abouriou - the only one to be found in the States #wbc11
• WineSoiree The only 2 acres of Abouriou in CA. Some may even say Foxy or deeeLish. @OldWorldWinery #wbc11 http://twitpic.com/5urk00
• foodandwine365 #wbc11 another first abouriou French grape by way of rrv. Thanks @oldworldwinery
• RedWineDiva @OldWorldWinery up with a unique wine for the US - Abouriou Grapes from the south of France. #wbc11
• BrixChick_Liza #wbc11 #speedtasting Old WOrld Arbourious new grape to me: Arbouriou. Flippy fruity aromas like raspberry danish
• genevelyn: 09 Abourious REd, should be a martini float #wbc11 from us. enjoy!

MyJoogTV Episode 9: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ Foggy Ridge Cider

This episode of MyJoogTV features the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band in a discussion of cider, country blues, and Charley Patton with Foggy Ridge Cider proprietor Diane Flynt. The episode was filmed during Floydfest X, the celebrated music festival located right on the Blue Ridge Parkway and minutes from Foggy Ridge. Specifically, we discussed cider and apple varieties as well as the band's latest CD: Peyton on Patton. This is the first ever compilation to honor the man who is arguably the father of Delta Blues. In fact, most modern rock music follows a lineage from Patton through Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf to Elvis, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. To paraphrase the Reverend, "if it wasn't for Patton, we'd be listening to Tony Bennett - all the time". The video is available to download for iTunes and Windows Media Player. To view more videos filmed at Floydfest, visit the MyJoogTV YouTube Channel.

• Peyton on Patton
• The Wages
• The Whole Fam Damnily

WBC11 - Wine Bloggers: Who Are We?

While attending the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville Virginia, we met many friendly, fun, and fascinating bloggers. Here are a few:

• Wine Biz Radio
• Vermont Wine Media
• Bring Your Own Wine
• The Wine Hub
• Wine-Oh of the Year
• Red White Boston
• Wild 4 Washington Wine
• Dallas Wine Chick
• A Glass After Work
• Vineyard Vlog
• Toledo Wines and Vines
• Virginia Wine Time
• Vintage Texas
• The Cork Chronicles
• NC Vineyards
• Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog

WBC11 Videos - From Loudoun to Ignite

One of our responsibilities at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference was to video as much of the happenings as possible in association with Virginia Wine TV. Many of you probably saw me (or my assistant Laszlo or Aaron) camera in hand through the Loudoun County pre-tour, the tour of UVA, the seminars, keynote speeches, Other 46, Monticello, the winery tours, and the Ignite sessions. Except for the Siips gathering, the camera was usually put to bed as early as possible in order to accommodate @RichardPF request of no late night footage. Thus nothing from #606 or #235 or the Saturday night dance party. In any case, thanks to all the attendees who participated on camera and I'm looking forward to continuing our discussions online and seeing everyone at WBC12 in Portland - sans camera.

Over the next two weeks we will be releasing several videos that will be available from a few outlets: VirginiaWineTV YouTube Channel, Wine Bloggers Conference YouTube Channel, and VirginiaWineTV Podcast. The Loudoun County pre-tour will also be available at Visit Loudoun, who's financial assistance made the filming of that segment possible. Anyone we tasted the wonderful wines from Breaux Vineyards, Tarara Winery, Boxwood Vineyards, and Chrysalis Vineyards, Catoctin Creek Vineyards, and 8 Chains North Winery understand that this region produces exceptional wines.

Here are the list of videos and the links as they come live:

• Agriculture Secretary Todd Haymore Thanking Wine Bloggers Conference
• WBC11 Live Wine Blogging - Red Wine
• WBC11 Live Wine Blogging - White & Rose Wine
• WBC11 - Jancis Robinson Keynote Speech
• WBC11 - Eric Asimov Keynote Speech
• WBC11 - Wine Bloggers: Who Are We?
• WBC11 - Loudoun Pre-Tour Highlights
  
• WBC11 - Loudoun Pre-Tour
• WBC11 - The Conference Highlights

And as time and funding allows:

• WBC11 - Ignite Presentations
  
• WBC11 - The Other 46
• WBC11 - Winery Tours
• WBC11 - The Conference (long version)

Live Wine Blogging at the WBC11

One of the coolest sessions at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference was the Live Wine Blogging. Two sessions were held, one for whites and roses; the other for reds. The basic idea is that each winery has five minutes to pour and market their wines to a table of about seven participants. During that five minutes, each participant blogs or tweets their thoughts on the wine, presentation, packaging - whatever comes to mind. Once the five minutes have past, the winery rep moves to the next table to repeat the process. Organized chaos - and tons of fun. During these sessions I was able to capture a partial twitter feed and used one tweet from each participant to create the videos below.

WBC11 Live Wine Blogging - White & Rose Wine
Music for the video is provided by Nat Reese courtesy of the Virginia Folklife Program


WBC11 Live Wine Blogging - Red Wine
Music for the video is provided by Jason Webley and The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band.

A Wonderful World of Wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference

Just stirring from dehydration and a hangover Sunday morning after four days (including Loudoun County pre-tour) of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference and am overwhelmed by all the out of state bloggers who made the effort to travel to Charlottesville. Pretty damn awesome. Plus all the Virginia wine folks who shared their stories and wines to us. But it just wasn't Virginia wine, particularly in the after parties. There was Rioja, Chilian wine, Saperavi from the Republic of Georgia, Ohio Reisling, Texas Viognier, Missouri Vignoles, Rodney Strong single vineyard Cab, Austrian Blaufrankish (and Virginia Blaufrankish), Frontenec Gris from Vermont, Malbec from New Zealand, and plenty of Croatian Plavac Mali. The point is, there is a wonderful world of wine available out there. Think outside the box and try different varieties or even familiar wines, but from other regions. Cheers and thanks to all the attendees for sharing their experiences. WBC11 was way too cool.

Kyle's Brew Fest Presented by Kyle Hollingsworth, Boulder Beer, & Odell Brewing

After selling-out 2010’s inaugural Kyle’s Brew Fest, Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist of The String Cheese Incident, will host his second annual charity beer festival and concert on Saturday, July 23, benefiting Conscious Alliance. For year two the festival moves to a new location Boulder Beer Company in Boulder, CO. Kyle’s 2011 Brew Fest will be bigger and better, featuring over 25 breweries, over 50 craft beers (including Kyle’s brand new brew Hoopla Pale Ale) and an extra hour on a Saturday afternoon to enjoy it all!

$25 ticket includes:
-Exclusive performance from Kyle Hollingsworth Band
-Limited edition Kyle’s Brew Fest logo pint glass
-Drinks
-Delicious grilled food
-An opportunity to bid at the Silent Auction (which features rock memorabilia from the scene’s favorite artists, among other items)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW - CLICK HERE

WBC11 Preview: Drinking Local Breakout Session

One of the many sessions that we are looking forward to at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference is the Friday Breakout Session: Drinking Local. The session is moderated by Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like - a Virginia based wine blog. The panelists consist of Dave McIntyre, wine writer for the Washington Post and founding member of DrinkLocalWine.com; Lenn Thompson, founder of New York Cork Report; and Rémy Charest, blogger at The Wine Case in Canada. The topic is the virtues and challenges of drinking local - an issue close to our hearts.

I love local wine; and not only the wine but the personalities, the stories, the trips to wine country. I loved hearing the story how Steve and Shannon Mackey started Notaviva Vineyards. I can hear Jenni McCloud (Chrysalis Vineyards) repeat her passionate speech about Norton wine - a thousand times. I've been known to travel 125 for an evening concert at Veritas Vineyards. I loved seeing Jim Corcoran (Corcoran Vineyards) proudly show off their new Bourbon barrel aged Chambourcin or their Lemoncello based Petit Mensing. My son gets a kick of seeing the photo from Hiddencroft Vineyards where owner Clyde Housel is hosing him down after an accident. Memories. These experiences is what lead us to start the WineCompass.com directory and the WineCompass blog. A history, I'm sure, shared by most attendees to the conference.

So naturally, we are advocates for promoting local wineries, especially through VirginiaWineTV.com and by participating in DrinkLocal.com activities. We all can agree on the virtues of local wineries: preserve open spaces, jobs, tourism, the wines..... Numerous reasons. As well as the locavore\locapour movement, which I follow to a certain degree, particularly when eloquently articulated by Jenni McCloud in our VirginiaWineTV video on Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud. To paraphrase: "If you eat locally, its natural to also drink locally."

Yet, I am not a complete convert to the Drink Local movement. Why? Price is one factor. Local wine is expensive, at least in Virginia. I would love to be able to budget a Virginia wine on a regular basis, but the average price is approximately $20-$25 a bottle (my best guess). I understand the economicsand the tourism influences that lead to higher prices. I just can't afford them on a regular basis. And from what I've seen, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are heading in the same direction.

But my biggest complaint with the Drink Local movement, is that proponents are throwing out multiple definitions of drink local. I've heard it used in a sustainability context with the locavore movement that you should only drink locally crafted wines and these wines must be produced using 100% estate grown grapes. No exceptions; minimal footprint. What's up with that? That is way too draconian. And with this definition, forget about someone from Florida purchasing a Virginia wine and having it shipped. Winemakers would never think of following that maxim (I've heard about Jenni McCloud's wine cellar), why should consumers?

Others have generously expanded this definition to say, "no the grapes can be sourced from anywhere within the state and yes, you can ship the wine to other states". Yet, I have a problem with that definition as well. Tarara Vineyard & Winery (Leesburg Virginia) produces an excellent NoVa series using grapes sourced from the Mountainview Vineyard in southwestern Virginia, over 200 miles away. Glades Pike Winery (Sommerset, Pennsylvania) produces a Norton wine from grapes grown at Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Virginia) - 170 miles and two states away. Tarara is approved, but Glades Pike is put on the naughty list. Why? Should we set distance boundaries to define a local wine? Who then, becomes the drink local policeman?

What does Drink Local mean to you? I don't really have a preferred definition, because I drink anything, from anywhere - wherever the winery is located: Virginia, Maryland, New York, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Turkey.... And I don't really have a problem if a winery sources fruit from California; as long as the wine is labelled as such. Case in point, the Biltmore Estate Winery; if you care, just purchase their North Carolina wines.

As I step off my soapbox, I look forward to this session. Maybe the panelists will attempt to define Drink Local, maybe not. But we all agree on one concept. Local wine is being produced in every state of this country and there are valid reasons to purchase locally. So, get out there and try some; you will enjoy the experience. The WineCompass.com directory can help you locate wineries in your state and if you want to visit a Virginia winery check out the Virginia Wine in My Pocket iPhone application. And attendees of the Wine Bloggers Conference will receive a free download of the app. Cheers.

WBC11 Preview: Viognier Night: A Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers

For those attending the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference or for wine fans anywhere, there is a unique opportunity this Thursday July 14th (7 to 9 pm) to learn about Virginia's signature grape, Viognier. The Virginia Wine Board is hosting Viognier Night: A Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers. See below for the participating wines and take a look at the tasting notes here. But most importantly, the winemakers themselves will be available to answer questions about their wines or the Virginia wine industry. Remember to use the #VaViognier hash tag. See you online.
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Join Virginia Winemakers for the first ever Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers!

It is easy to participate! Just pick up a bottle of Viognier from one of the participating wineries: Barboursville Vineyards & Winery, Blenheim Vineyards, Cooper Vineyards, Delaplane Cellars, Horton Vineyards and King Family Vineyards. OR just grab your favorite VA Viognier...

Then grab some friends and food, and tune into the #VAWine #VaViognier conversation on Twitter! It is the perfect way to experience Virginia Viogniers in varying styles, from dry to off-dry, still and sparkling.

Winemakers will tune in on Twitter Thursday, July 14th from 7-9pm to answer any and all questions pertaining to these Virginia Viogniers. Most of these Viogniers can be found at your local Kroger, specialty retailers, or ordered directly through the wineries.

Participating wineries:
Barboursville: 2009 Viognier Reserve
Blenheim: 2010 Viognier
Cooper: 2010 Viognier
Delaplane: 2010 Maggie's Vineyard Viognier
Horton: NV Sparkling Viognier
King Family: 2010 Viognier

Also, please post pictures of your local VA Viognier tasting on Twitter during the event! We look forward to having you join us for this first ever Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers!

WBC11 Preview: The Other 46 Tasting

One of the sessions at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference that we are really looking forward to is the The Other 46 tasting Friday night. Yes, no California, Oregon, Washington, or New York wines allowed. Instead, expect wines from Loudoun County Virginia (courtesy of Breaux Vineyards and Tarara Winery); Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Indiana, and Ohio. For a refresher course on why grape growing is so difficult in the East Coast and Midwest, check out A History of Wine in America, Volume 1: From the Beginnings to Prohibition. This book also describes the painful ordeal Thomas Jefferson and Philip Mazzei experienced when attempting to sustain grapes in Albemarle County. Good background for the conference in general and the Monticello dinner.

Back to The Other 46 tasting, what wines should you expect? There better be some Viognier from Loudoun County because Texas Viognier will be in the house. Vintage Texas is also expected to pour some Blanc Du Bois, Tempranillo, and Roussanne. From Breaux and Tarara, we also hope to be tasting some Merlot and Long Bomb respectively. The Indiana Wine Grape Council will be pouring plenty of Traminette (that state's signature grape) whereas the Missouri Wine and Grape Board: I would guess Vignoles and Norton. This would be an interesting time to compare Midwestern Norton and native Virginia Norton. Jenni, where are you? Now, Ohio has moved beyond Catawba, but it would be very interesting to sample some sparkling Catawba. Or perhaps some Lemberger or Riesling. We shall see what Southern Wine Trails decides to pour. That leaves Maryland, and the Maryland Wineries Association is still determining which wines to showcase. There's no doubt that its time to unveil the Free State as the next producer of quality vinifera wines - just sample those from Black Ankle Vineyards, or Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, or some Sangiovese from Fiore Winery. Virginia's northern neighbor is moving closer to the Commonwealth.

For now, that's the latest. Can't believe North Carolina or Pennsylvania or even Michigan or Colorado wines will not be presented. That's a real shame. For any impromptu tastings, we are coming prepared with a few wines from our assorted collection of Other 46 wines. Looking forward to a fun and rewarding weekend. Thanks #wbc11.

• Nassau Valley Vineyards Indian River Red (Delaware)
• Schnebly Redland's Winery Dry Avocado Wine (Florida)
• Keel And Curley Winery Key West Key Lime Wine (Florida)
• Frederick Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Maryland)
• Orchid Cellar Winery Monk Mead (Maryland)
• RagApple Lassie Vineyards Hobson"s Choice (North Carolina)
• Hinnant Family Vineyard 2004 Norton (North Carolina)
• Valhalla Vineyards 2001 Alicante Bouschet (Virginia)
• Corcoran Vineyards 2008 Malbec (Virginia)
• 8 Chains North Winery 2009 Blaufrankish (Virginia)

Mead & Music in Maryland

We've been neglecting our northern brethren for a while so we scheduled a trip near Frederick to restock our mead collection. Yes, we are fans of honey wine and decided to sample the wines from Orchid Cellar Winery, located a little northeast of Frederick in Middletown. The winery has been operating for 4 years, the last two in the current location. The honey is sourced from local and regional apiarists accentuated by their own bees. The Wilk's family base their mead on Eastern European\Polish recipes in honor of their heritage. And what's fascinating about these meads, is the diversity in styles. The Ambrosia is a Pyment made from honey and Chardonnay grapes; the Blacksmith a Melomel made from honey, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. I'd never heard of or tasted a Capsicumel which is mead made with chili peppers. And Orchid Cellar offers two: the Hunter and the Big Game Hunter which has three times the peppers. The Hunter was balanced between heat, spice, and sweetness and is surprisingly, their best cellar. The other, too much heat for me. My favorites were two traditional Metheglin (honey and spices): the Knight and the Monk, The former is based on recipes attributed to Capuchin monks; the latter from a recipe attributed to Bernardine monks and includes spices and rose petals. Both were slightly sweet, and full of flavor, nicely balanced between the honey and spice. In the future the winery will start offering traditional grape wine, but for me - I'm content with the honey wine.

From Orchid Cellar Winery, we migrated a little closer to home in order to hear some local music at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. This winery offers live music on a constant basis and we had neglected them for too long. On this day, Rob Thorworth was entertaining an overflowed patio of wine drinkers with a collection of originals and eclectic covers. We rushed to sit down when hearing Little Feat's Spanish Moon, followed by Lyle Lovett, The Beatles, and Warren Zevon. Good music paired with a merlot based Rose. Nice. Two videos are available at the MyJoogTV YouTube channel. Cheers.

Win A Chance to Attend the 2011 NYC Food and Wine Festival, Courtesy of Chef Rocco DiSpirito

One of our favorite annual wine festivals is the Food Network's South Beach Food & Wine Festival. And why not, wine, food, rum - all in the tropical air of Miami. Our next favorite. Why the Food Network's NYC Food & Wine Festival.Usually, the same venders, but this time based in the newly renovated Meatpacking District of that city. Check out our last visit to the festival here. The 2011 Festival runs from September 29 through October 2nd. Tickets for individual events may be affordable, but not for the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite & KitchenAid. We are talking $195.

But here comes Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito to help. In celebration of his new television series, Rocco's Dinner Party, he is launching the "Watch & Win" contest giving wine enthusiasts the opportunity to win a trip for two to meet him and assist him at the 2011 NYC Food and Wine Festival! The prize includes round-trip airfare for two, a two-night stay at an NYC hotel along with free tickets to the festival! Viewers can tune-in to Rocco's Dinner Party Wednesdays, 10PM ET/9C on Bravo to answer three weekly questions pertaining to each week's episode. Submission form stays open until Saturday at midnight! After answering all three questions, submit your information to be entered to win. Enter every week to increase your chances of winning - every weekly submission counts as another entry!

The next "Watch & Win" will air this Wednesday, June 29th at 10PM/9c on Bravo! That's today. Good luck.

WBC11 Preview: The Wine Grapes of Virginia

We recently saw a Twitter tweet from the Rhone Rangers regarding the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 (#VAWine producers at #WBC11 - We will be present, love to meet with any interested in becoming a @RhoneRangers). The Rhone Rangers is "America's leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines". Now, its widely known - or becoming widely known - that Virginia's new signature grape is the Rhone varietal Viognier. And please check out the interesting commentary regarding that decision at DrinkWhatYouLike: Viognier – Virginia’s Signature Grape?. But what about other Rhone varietals. Syrah is relatively popular with about 20 wineries crafting that varietal. And several are quite good: Delaplane Cellars, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, and Fox Meadow Winery among others. Viognier and Syrah are basically it for Rhone grapes, although Horton Vineyards and Hillsborough Vineyards do craft wines using Roussanne.

Yet, even with Viognier being Virginia's signature grape, Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals are still the most popular. In fact, Meritage and Chardonnay wines have won the last few Governors Cup and at one point in recent history some observers where predicting that Cabernet Franc may become the Commonwealth's signature grape. Here's an interesting post and commentary at MyVineSpot: Making a case for Chardonnay and Merlot. Yet the future for red wine in Virginia may be the Bordeaux blending grapes: Petit Verdot and Malbec. Crafted as single varietals, these are full bodied, tannic wines. And let's not forget grapes from South West France, where Tannat and Petit Menseng wines do quite well in Virginia. Interestingly, the later was first introduced into the United States by Alan Kinne, of Chrysalis Vineyards.

Speaking of Chrysalis Vineyards, the vineyard holds the world's largest planting of Virginia's native grape: Norton. Many winemakers choose to avoid Norton, considering it less than a noble grape, but Jennifer McCloud thinks otherwise and is the grape's most vocal proponent. Please check out this VirginiaWineTV episode featuring McCloud in Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud.

Finally, there's the hybrids, which remain quite popular and are the wine grapes that grow best in many mountainous and arid regions of the state. Vidal Blanc is the most popular and is used primarily as a dessert wine. Next popular is Chambourcin which has the versatility to be crafted into a range of styles from dry to sweet. Our friends at Corcoran Vineyards have now aged their Chambourcin in used bourbon barrels to create a port styled wine that tastes pure Virginia - as in Virginia Gentlemen.

For more information on a compendium of wine grapes used in Virginia please visit our post at The Wine Grapes of Virginia. See you at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 in Charlottesville Virginia.

Wit Beer - A Toast to Pierre Celis

Ever since Port City Brewing Company opened this year we have become converts to their flagship beer, the Belgium wheat beer Optimal Wit, and have been sampling versions from craft breweries throughout the U.S. At the same time, we have been constant evangelists spreading the word on the virtues of this beer style. Sadly, at the time of our conversion, the modern day "founder" of Wit beer, Pierre Celis, passed away. And it seems, many Wit beer drinkers are unfamiliar with the roll Celis played in reviving this style.

We recommend reading the entire article by Roger Protz, Pierre Celis, Maestro of White Beer.

It was Pierre who saved and revived a noble beer style: the spiced wheat or "white" beers of East Brabant. The region has rich, dark soil ideal for growing barley, oats and wheat. Brewing in the area has been traced back to 1318, when it was in the hands of farmers and monks. By the 1500s Hoegaarden had a brewers' guild and in the 19th century there were some 30 breweries in the small town. Right: Pierre and his wife, Juliette.

The special character of the white beers of Brabant was due to the use not only of wheat and oats alongside barley malt but also exotic spices and fruits brought to the Low Countries by Dutch and Flemish traders. Spiced white beers from Hoegaarden were widely distributed throughout Brabant and the neighbouring province of Liege.

But in the 20th century the breweries started to close, unable to compete with the mass-marketed Pilsner lagers produced in the city of Leuven, home of Stella Artois.

The last brewery in Hoegaarden, Tomsin, pulled down the shutters in the late 1950s. It was mourned by many in the town, including Pierre Celis, who had done some part-time work there as a schoolboy.

Pierre's father ran a dairy and Pierre delivered milk. He was drinking in a bar with some friends one evening and they began to reminisce about the much-missed beers of Hoegaarden. Encouraged by his friends, who jokingly said he should move from one cloudy white drink to another, Pierre said he would attempt to brew some beer. He made a batch in his wife's copper in the family home alongside the dairy. There was no written-down recipe from Tomsin's, but Pierre remembered the ingredients from his work there. Grain and hops were easily available and he added milled coriander seeds and Curacao orange peel.

His beer was so well received that he decided to make it commercially. In 1966, he bought a small 25-hectolitre plant from a brewery in Limburg and installed it in the stables next to the house. The kit is still there today, but the success of the beer forced him to move to a derelict lemonade factory in the town to cope with demand.

The cloudy, unfiltered beer had taken Leuven by storm, where university students considered it to be more natural than lager. Pierre broke into the important Antwerp market and then into the Netherlands and France. The beer's fortunes were aided by the unique eight-sided glass: by chance, Pierre had found the Italian prototype in a local shop (shown below, right).

Production grew rapidly to 300,000 hectos a year by 1985. Pierre had just started to export to the United States when fire devastated the brewery. He was seriously under-insured.

"I needed 280 million Belgian francs to rebuild but I only got 40 million from the insurers," he says. "The banks wouldn't help but then Stella Artois offered to invest in return for 45 per cent of the shares."

At first the relationship with Stella was a good one. But things changed dramatically in 1988 when Stella merged with Piedboeuf of Jupille near Liege.

Interbrew was born and, according to Pierre, "the bankers took over". The fact that they were French-speaking bankers probably didn't help.

"People came from Jupille, looked around the brewery and told me how to make my beer cheaper. They said they used high-gravity brewing at Jupille to reduce costs and I should do the same," he says.

Pierre refused. High-gravity brewing means making one strong wort and watering it down to make different beers. Pierre, who had added to the range at Hoegaarden, said it would give his beers different aromas and flavours. He declared he would stick to his old recipes and ways of brewing.

As the pressure mounted, and Interbrew began to close breweries in Belgium to concentrate production at Leuven and Jupille, Pierre decided to retire at 65, selling the company to the Belgian giant.

But that wasn't the end of the story. American interest in Hoegaarden prompted him to build a brewery in Austin, Texas. Celis White was an overnight success and sales boomed. But Pierre found that his American backers wanted a quick return on their investment and, in order to buy them out, he signed another Faustian pact, this time with Miller, America's second-biggest brewer.

"I'd been brewing 22,000 barrels a year," he says, "but that rapidly fell to 15,000 barrels when Miller arrived. They spent a fortune on administration and we lost money and production. They cheapened the beer and cut out imported Czech hops."

Pierre sold his share of the company and came home to the family house in Hoegaarden with his wife Juliette. Miller eventually closed the Austin brewery and now Pierre finds that InBev, the successor to Interbrew and the world's biggest brewer, plans to close the Hoegaarden plant in October.

Now for the rest of the story....

• In 1995, the Coors Brewing Company launched a Belgium Wit called Blue Moon.
• In 2002, Miller Brewing sold the recipe and naming rights for the Celis brand to the Michigan Brewing Company.
• In 2007, Miller Brewing reunited with a Wit brand when the company merged with Coors.
• In 2009, InBev, the successor to Interbrew merged with Anheuser-Busch opening the U.S. market to Hoegaarden beer.

Yes, the two leading mass produced beer companies in the U.S. now offer a Wit from their global portfolio.

For a Father's day cookout, I decided to sample several Wit styles which included the Michigan Brewing Company Celis White, the Port City Brewing Company Optimal Wit, the Victory Brewing Whirlwind Wit, and the Flying Dog Brewery Woody Creek White. This wasn't a blind tasting to determine a favorite - just a day to celebrate the style. Yet the Celis White seemed to have the strongest profile of the style - the wheat flavors balanced with coriander and orange peel. The most unexpected result was after 5 or 6 beers, I became fatigued with the style and craved a beer with a hoppier finish. Variety in style does matter - at least for this palette.

But as summer moves along, grab a Wit, and raise a toast to Pierre Celis - a modern day pioneer.

Eastern Winegrowers Face Weird Weather via Wines & Vines

Here is an interesting story from Wines & Vines on how Eastern Winegrowers Face Weird Weather. Blamed on La Niña, this weather pattern has made many eastern vineyards susceptible to disease such as phomopsis, anthracnose, and powdery mildew. Early botrytis is also a concern. For those attending the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference, this is a clear illustration of the difficulties encountered annually by Eastern growers as opposed to their Western counterparts, who may not get much annual variations in weather conditions.

WBC11 Preview: East Coast Wineries on MyJoogTV

For our third installment of our preview of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (July 22-24 in Charlottesville Virginia) we invite readers to watch the three episodes of MyJoogTV featuring East Coast Wineries. These episodes feature Adams County Winery (Orrtanna, Pennsylvania), Black Ankle Vineyards (Mt. Airy, Maryland) , and Tarara Vineyard & Winery (Leesburg, Virginia).

Previous Previews:
WBC11 Preview: The Foreign Invasion
WBC11 Preview: Reno Walsh of Zephyr Adventures

MyJoogTV Episode 1: Cadillac Sky at Tarara Vineyard & Winery



MyJoogTV Episode 3: Uncle Dave Huber @ Black Ankle Vineyards


MyJoogTV Episode 5: Skyla Burrell Blues Band at Adams County Winery

2011 SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience

SAVOR, what an experience. Great beer, food, personalities.... Below is a list of links that will provide photos and commentary on the event, but for a musical odyssey and comments from the brewer's themselves, take a look at the video below. The music is provided by Larry Keel & Natural Bridge. "Bohemian Reel" - dedicated to one of our new favorites: Bohemian Brewery.

WineCompass Photos
DCBeer
CraftBeerRadio
Richmond Beermeister
Road Trips for Beer
Brewbound
Dallas Beer Snobs
DCFüd
On Beer and Brewing

Virginia Welcomes the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference

Virginia Wine TV has produced a short video featuring all the Virginia wineries in anticipation for the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (July 22-24 in Charlottesville Virginia).